Method of and apparatus for cooling gun-barrels.



A. M. BROTHERSTON. METHOD'OF AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING GUN BARRELS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 3. 1916.

11 ,2 l 6, 939 v Patented Feb. 20, 1917 is (If! UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

ALEXANDER M. BROTHERSTON, OF MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO HOLMES A. FRANK, MILLABTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA.

METHOD or AND APPARATUS ron COOLING GUN-BARRELS.

Specification of Letters Patent. L Patented Feb, 20, 1917.

Application filed February 8, "1916. Serial No. 76,063.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER -BROTHERSTON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and resident of the city of Moncton, in the Province of New Brunswick and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Cooling Gun-Barrels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in method of and apparatus for cooling gun barrels, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient means for cooling gun barrels, particularly the barrels of machine and quick-fire guns.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling means of extremely light. Weight which will require only a small amount of cooling liquid.

A still further object is to provide cooling means in whichthere will be no loss of the cooling liquid used.

The invention consists essentially in providing a reservoir surrounding the barrel and provided with a sump portion which will always be the lowest point of the reservoir at all angles of elevation within the range of the gun. A pump is provided for drawing the cooling liquid from the lowest point of the reservoir through a radiator and then forcing the liquid in a spray over the entire length of the barrel. A fan may be used to force air through the radiator to hasten cooling of the liquid.

In the drawing which illustrates the in' vention the figure is a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 11 designates a gun barrel having a surrounding jacket 12 continuous with a reservoir 13 located below the barrel, and having a sump 14 so arranged that it willbe the lowest point of the reservoirat all angles of elevation within the capacity of the gun. A pump 15, preferably of the centrifugal type, is provided for circulating the cooling liquid. This pump draws liquid from the sump 14: through .a radiator 16, and discharges the liquid through a perforated pipe 17 disposed above and parallel with the barrel. A fan 18 may be provided for maintaining a strong current of air through the radiator to promote cooling of the liquid. The pump and fan may be both driven in any suitable manner. by means of a motor or other device 19. The air passages through the radiator are entirely outside the reservoir and jacket, as clearly shown, in order that there will be no escape of steam which would betray the position of the gun and also result in loss of liquid. i 1

The operation of the device is extremely simple. The liquid collects in the reservoir and is drawn by the pump through the radiator, which may be of any suitable type, and is thereby cooled. The liquid is then forced in suitable quantity in a spray over the barrel, and falls from the barrel into the reservoir. In ordinary cooling systems, the jacket is entirely full of water, with the-result that formation of steam is prevented and consequently great cooling effect is lost. By the use of the radiator and the spray method of applying the liquid, it is' possible to leave a space within the jacket in which steam can and that all such variations are considered as embodied in the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A method of cooling gun barrels which consists in discharging a spray of cooling liquid over the barrel in a closed chamber,

collecting the vapor resulting and condensing same to a liquid, and passing the liquid through a radiator to 0001 same for re-use.

2. A means of cooling gun barrels, comprising a liquid containing reservoir inclosing the barrel, a radiator, a spray pipe arranged to direct liquid over the barrel, and means ,for drawing the liquid through the radiator and forcing the same through the spray pipe.

3. A means for cooling gun. barrels, com prising a reservoir for-cooling liquid inclosing the barrel, a pipe arranged to direct sprays of liquid on substantially the entire length of the gun barrel, a radiator, an inlet for said radiator at the bottom of the reser- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set voir, aliquid circulating means, a connection my hand, in presence of two witnesses. between the radiator and spray pipe includ- ALEXANDER M BROTHERSTON ing the circulating means, a fan arranged 5 to force air through the radiator, and means Witnesses:

for driving the liquid circulating means and S. R. W. ALLEN, fan. G. M. MORELAND. 

